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What’s This About
Quiet luxury is a way of dressing in classic, well-made clothes with little or no visible branding, chosen for cloth, construction and fit.
This guide explains the look and how to wear it, such as:
Where the phrase quiet luxury comes from
The main features to look for in garments
Seven wardrobe essentials, from a suit to a simple watch
Business, business-casual and smart-casual outfits
Twelve brands often linked with quiet luxury
and many more!
The look can be built at many prices, and it says nothing about how much money the wearer has.
Key Points
01Quiet luxury became a widely used phrase in 2023, but the clothes draw on older Ivy, British and Italian traditions.
02Cloth, construction and fit matter more than the label, and price alone does not guarantee quality.
03Muted colours, classic patterns and small details such as good buttons carry the look.
04Many famous quiet luxury brands are expensive, but similar garments are available at lower prices.
What is quiet luxury?
Quiet luxury is a way of dressing in classic, well-made clothes with little or no visible branding, and it overlaps closely with the Old Money look.
It suits any age: the same principles of fit, cloth and simple design work for a student, a founder in his twenties or a manager in his fifties.
The idea is to choose garments, shoes and accessories for their cloth, construction and fit rather than for a logo.
Quiet luxury is often associated with expensive labels, but the same look can be built at lower prices, and a high price or a famous name does not by itself guarantee quality.
The clothes cannot show anyone’s wealth, and you do not need to be wealthy to wear them.
Quiet luxury shares a lot with classic styles such as the American Preppy look, the British Sloane Ranger style and the French bon chic, bon genre (BCBG) style.
Where quiet luxury comes from
The phrase “quiet luxury”, along with “stealth wealth”, became widely used in 2023, when coverage of the costumes in the HBO series Succession and other celebrity outfits spread the idea, as CNBC reported in June 2023.
The clothes themselves are much older and draw on several traditions.
In mid-twentieth-century America, the campus clothes of Ivy League universities set a plain, practical template.
Preppy and Ivy wardrobes centred on garments such as Oxford button-down shirts, cable-knit sweaters and penny loafers.
In Britain, the “Sloane Ranger” label, popularised by the writer Peter York in the 1970s, described a London and country look of classic tailoring, quiet colours and long-established brands.
Many of the makers now linked with quiet luxury have long histories: Zegna was founded in 1910, Loro Piana in 1924 and Brunello Cucinelli in 1978.
Today the look appeals to people who prefer clothes chosen for comfort, cloth and fit over conspicuous branding or showy design.
How to dress in a quiet luxury style
Quiet luxury relies on good cloth and plain design without decoration.
Instead of large logos, heavy jewellery or very bright colours, it uses soft tailoring, texture and muted colours.
One widely discussed example is the plain cashmere baseball cap worn by Kendall Roy in Succession, which the show’s costume designer Michelle Matland sourced from Loro Piana, as she told W Magazine in May 2023.
The aim is to look relaxed and put-together, so construction and fabric matter more than branding.
With luxury labels you pay partly for the brand and partly for materials and making, so compare the garment itself rather than the name.
Vicuña, for example, is a very rare and expensive fibre from a wild South American relative of the alpaca.
Loro Piana is one of its best-known buyers: according to Wikipedia’s Loro Piana entry, the company agreed in 1997 to source vicuña fibre only from living animals and in 2008 helped finance a private vicuña reserve in Peru.
Quiet luxury favours garments that stay in use for many seasons rather than fast-changing trends.
In short, it is about clothes that do not need to announce themselves.
It focuses on understated outfits, good fabrics, comfort and garments that last.
To build the look, consider these suggestions:
Try cloths such as cashmere, merino wool, cotton, linen, silk and textured leather, at whatever price suits you; labels range from Uniqlo and Sunspel to Extreme Cashmere.
Use a muted palette of dark, neutral and earthy colours, with the occasional pastel in summer.
Keep patterns classic, such as stripes, houndstooth, checks and small florals.
Get the fit right: clothes should not pull, sag or leave trousers too short for your taste.
Choose small details, such as hand stitching or a textured weave, over decoration.
Ultimately, quiet luxury is about choosing well-made, simple garments you will wear often, without making a display of what they cost.
Characteristics of quiet luxury
Quiet luxury puts careful making, simple design and good materials ahead of the latest fashion trends.
These are the main features to look for.
Careful craftsmanship
Look for garments and accessories that show careful making, such as neat stitching, well-finished seams and traditional techniques.
Some of this work is done by hand, but good machine work can be just as durable.
Simple, lasting design
Classic shapes and understated details stay usable for many years.
Avoiding large logos, loud accessories and very fashion-led shoes keeps an outfit in this style, if that is the look you want.
Quality over quantity
Buy fewer garments in cloths you like, such as cashmere, silk, wool and soft leather, and look after them.
A higher price can buy better cloth or construction, but not always, so check the garment before you decide it is worth the cost.
Small details
Small details carry the look: mother-of-pearl buttons on a shirt, hand-rolled edges on a silk pocket square or a hand-finished colour on leather shoes.
They may not be noticed at first, but they make the garments pleasant to wear.
Muted colours
Quiet luxury often uses earth tones, navy, burgundy, grey, black and white, though it is not limited to neutrals.
These colours combine easily, which helps a small wardrobe go further.
These principles work at any age and alongside many personal styles.
Quiet luxury wardrobe essentials
A quiet luxury wardrobe can start with a few garments, shoes and accessories that work together.
The labels named below are examples, many of them expensive; our guide to affordable quiet luxury brands covers lower-priced options.
A well-fitting suit
A suit is not an everyday necessity for everyone, but one that fits well is useful for formal occasions.
Ready-to-wear with alterations, made-to-measure and bespoke can all work; with bespoke, a tailor cuts the suit to your measurements.
Pay attention to the cloth, lapel width, button position and trouser length.
Savile Row tailors such as Henry Poole & Co, Gieves & Hawkes and Huntsman are well-known names in bespoke tailoring.
White shirt
A white cotton dress shirt can be dressed up or down; long-staple cottons such as Sea Island or Egyptian are used for finer shirts.
Check the fit at the collar and cuffs and details such as the buttons.
Shirtmakers to look at range from Charles Tyrwhitt to Turnbull & Asser, Charvet and Kiton.
Cashmere or wool blazer
A navy or camel blazer in cashmere or wool, with horn buttons and a canvassed front, works with trousers, chinos and jeans.
Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana and Ralph Lauren Purple Label are examples at the top of the price range.
Wool or cashmere overcoat
A wool or cashmere overcoat is a useful layer in cold weather.
Choose a classic shape, such as a single-breasted Chesterfield or a double-breasted polo coat, in camel, navy or charcoal.
Loro Piana, Zegna and Brioni are examples at the top of the price range.
Dark denim jeans
Dark jeans can work in a quiet luxury wardrobe.
Choose a clean, dark indigo wash with little or no distressing.
A straight or slim-straight leg pairs well with a blazer or a tailored sport coat.
Labels to look at include Levi’s, A.P.C., 3sixteen and Raleigh Denim Workshop.
Leather loafers
Leather loafers suit a quiet luxury wardrobe.
Choose a penny loafer or a softer Belgian-style loafer, and consider a welted pair if you want to resole it later.
John Lobb, Edward Green and Crockett & Jones are well-known examples; many lower-priced makers offer similar styles.
A simple watch
A simple dress watch on a leather strap fits the look, whether it is new, second-hand or inherited.
Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and A. Lange & Söhne are examples at the top of the market, but a plain watch at any price works with these outfits.
Build around a few of these essentials and add to them as your needs become clear.
Quiet luxury outfit ideas
Here is how to combine these garments for different occasions; the labels are examples, and similar garments at other prices work as well.
Business outfit
For a formal business meeting or corporate event, start with a navy suit in fine worsted wool, for example from Brioni.
Clean lines and a good fit keep the outfit neat.
Pair it with a white dress shirt, for example from Charvet, with double cuffs and a spread collar.
Add a silk tie with a small geometric pattern in navy and silver, for example from Hermès, and black Oxford dress shoes, for example from John Lobb.
Finish with a white pocket square and a slim dress watch.
Wear: a navy worsted suit, a white double-cuff shirt, a navy and silver silk tie, black Oxfords, a white pocket square and a slim dress watch.
Business-casual outfit
For a relaxed office day or a business lunch, start with light grey wool trousers, for example from Incotex, in the leg shape you prefer.
Pair them with a white shirt with a semi-spread collar, for example from Turnbull & Asser.
Layer a light blue fine-gauge cashmere crew-neck, for example from Cruciani, over the shirt.
Add a navy unstructured sport coat in a wool, silk and linen blend, for example from Boglioli, an Italian maker known for soft, unstructured tailoring.
Choose dark brown suede penny loafers, for example from Edward Green.
Finish with a dark brown leather belt, a vintage dress watch and a white linen pocket square.
Wear: a navy unstructured sport coat, a light blue cashmere crew-neck over a white shirt, light grey wool trousers and dark brown suede penny loafers.
Smart-casual outfit
For dinner parties or weekend gatherings, start with khaki chinos, for example from Incotex.
Pair them with a light blue Oxford button-down shirt, for example from Gitman Vintage.
Layer a navy merino V-neck, for example from Zanone, over the shirt for warmth and texture.
Add a light brown suede jacket, such as Valstar’s Valstarino.
For shoes, choose plain white leather trainers, for example from Common Projects.
Finish with a simple steel watch and tortoiseshell sunglasses.
Wear: a light brown suede jacket, a navy merino V-neck over a light blue Oxford shirt, khaki chinos and white leather trainers.
Each outfit keeps to simple garments in good cloth, adjusted to the occasion and its level of formality.
Quiet luxury brands to know
These brands are often mentioned in connection with quiet luxury, through their materials, tailoring or plain design.
They are examples, not a ranking, and most are expensive; our guide to heritage luxury brands covers more names.
Edward Green
Edward Green is a Northampton shoemaker founded in 1890.
Its shoes are Goodyear-welted, which allows them to be resoled.
Our review asks whether Edward Green shoes are worth it, including its Oxfords and monk straps.
Turnbull & Asser
Turnbull & Asser is a London shirtmaker and haberdasher founded in 1885.
It makes bespoke and ready-to-wear shirts, as well as ties, pocket squares and other accessories.
The Row
The Row is an American fashion brand founded by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in 2006.
It is known for minimalist designs, careful tailoring and very little branding, across ready-to-wear, accessories and shoes.
Thom Browne
Thom Browne is an American designer whose label was founded in 2001.
The brand is known for shrunken suit proportions and a red, white and blue grosgrain tab, while its four-bar stripe, visible on the polo shirt above, is a recognisable branding device.
That makes it more recognisable than most labels here, so it suits people who like a tailored look with a visible signature.
Berluti
Berluti is a Paris shoemaker founded in 1895.
It is known for hand-coloured, patinated leather shoes, and it also makes leather goods and ready-to-wear clothing.
Brunello Cucinelli
Often called the “King of Cashmere” in the press, Brunello Cucinelli is an Italian brand founded in 1978.
It is known for cashmere knitwear, soft tailoring, neutral colours and textured fabrics.
Loro Piana
Loro Piana is an Italian company founded in 1924 in Quarona, Piedmont, and known for fine raw materials such as vicuña and baby cashmere.
Loro Piana’s quiet luxury clothing ranges from knitwear to suede jackets, with little visible branding.
Zegna
Ermenegildo Zegna is an Italian fashion house founded in 1910 as a wool mill.
It is known for its suiting cloths and tailoring, and it also makes knitwear, outerwear and accessories.
Stefano Ricci
Stefano Ricci is a Florentine brand founded in 1972, which began with handmade ties.
It makes tailoring, ties and leather goods, often in expensive materials such as silk and crocodile leather.
John Lobb
John Lobb began as a bootmaker in 1849 and opened its London shop in 1866; the family-owned London business makes bespoke shoes, while John Lobb Paris, owned by Hermès since 1976, makes ready-to-wear.
We explain why John Lobb shoes are so expensive and whether they are worth the price.
Charvet
Charvet is a Paris shirtmaker and haberdasher founded in 1838.
It is known for dress shirts and for ties and pocket squares in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Valextra
Valextra is a Milan leather goods brand founded in 1937.
Its briefcases, portfolios and weekend bags have clean lines and minimal branding.
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